


Reminders

by a_bad_poem



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M, i didnt want to make it too long skjdks, there was originally gonna be smut but uH, vegeta misses his fukgin tail guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-02-23 11:29:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23977333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_bad_poem/pseuds/a_bad_poem
Summary: Goku has Bulma make him a fake tail to try out during his spars with Vegeta, and to bring them both closer to their heritage. It has the opposite effect of what he was hoping for.
Relationships: Kakavege - Relationship, Son Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 60





	Reminders

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kakabeji](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kakabeji/gifts).



> Part of a fic swap in the Kakavege Week discord server!

"What. The Hell. Is that?"

Goku blinked, staring at Vegeta. The Prince’s arms were crossed as usual, and he didn’t look as impressed as Goku had hoped he would be. “It's a tail!” He announced, still optimistic once he was past his initial confusion. “I know you know that, Vegeta. It’s not a real one of course, I asked Bulma to make it for me! It really works.” He gave it a playful flick then set it into a gentle wagging motion, demonstrating.

“Hmph.” Vegeta turned his head away coolly. “Wrong. It’s a useless fake, nothing more.” His fists dropped to his sides as he brushed past Goku, taking strides to put space between them. “Use it during our fight if you will. It won’t make any difference.” Vegeta was tenser than usual, though he kept it hidden. What the hell was Kakarot trying to pull here? Seeing that tail made the ghost pains of his own missing limb threaten to return, almost bracing himself in preparation for the expected pain, sharp yet dull, concentrated aching, sometimes enough to bring him to his knees. They were less common and less intense nowadays, but once in a while, whether or not for any reason, they loved to remind him of his missing heritage. 

A small, different part of him within his abdomen stirred at the sight of Kakarot with a tail. Had it been real, Vegeta might actually find it hot. But it wasn’t. Another part was green with jealousy, and another too prideful to stoop so low as to ask for a fake. It was wrong, he determined. As if a disrespectful plaything was a worthy replacement for the symbol of a true Saiyan's power. He would tear the stupid thing out, he swore to himself, however it was Kakarot had it fastened. Vegeta’s fists clenched as he sealed his promise, and he turned on his heel, sinking into his battle pose. “I’m still going to beat you.”

Goku smirked, tail flicking again, though tauntingly this time. “Give me your all, Vegeta.”

A burst of white ki swarmed Vegeta with his yell. He pushed himself off the ground with his feet, flying straight towards Kakarot but staying low. Vegeta baited his tail with a sudden flip over his head, which had tried to wrap around his wrist almost like a whip, and Vegeta smirked. “Fool! You truly think I don’t know how a tail is used in combat?” Kakarot’s cry of pain as both boots buried into his back and planted him facefirst into the ground made Vegeta's chest swell. He’d known it was nothing but a broken copy.

His feet were up in the air again quickly, and Kakarot’s tail missed his ankles. He landed in front of him. “Too slow,” he smirked, drinking in Kakarot’s fearful expression for the moment just before the top of his foot connected with it. Kakarot cried out freely in pain, lip and nose leaking blood. Vegeta darted back, panting slightly. “What’s wrong, Kakarot?” He taunted. “Use your tail. Trip me, or grab me. Or don’t you know how?”

Goku grit his teeth, looking up at Vegeta through one eye as he pushed himself up to his feet. He was fine, just caught off guard. Vegeta didn’t tend to go that hard—no, dirty—when they were sparring.

“I guess I need a little more practice,” he admitted. Training was different without anything that hit back, and it had been a long time since he was used to this other extremity. “I bet you know a lot more about how to use this thing than me, Vegeta.”

Vegeta glared. “I know how to use a real tail, not that Halloween costume reject.”

Goku smirked, and through some silent communication, they both knew to jump back into combat. Goku actually landed punches this time, focusing more on what he knew for certain how to do. The opportunity to use his tail would come up. He just had to wait for it.

Their spar went on for a while before Vegeta managed to snag hold of the unused tail a few inches from its base. Goku feared with his grip and the way Vegeta’s muscles were tensed and poised that he was planning to tear it out before he had a chance to use it, but the Prince suddenly stopped, head hanging and arm going slack.

They hovered there together, midair, silent. Something was wrong. Goku was almost afraid to breathe, and when he noticed Vegeta was shaking he hesitantly opened his mouth to speak, but the Prince beat him to it. 

“I can’t do it.”

Again, Goku hesitated. Together, they slowly sank down to the ground until Vegeta was on his knees, partially keeled over. His hand slipped from Goku’s tail and gloved fists rested on the ground, one giving it a feeble punch.

“I can’t do it. It's not even real but I still can’t bring myself to do what was done to me.” Vegeta's low voice broke and memories of his tail trembled through him. One swift, awful, irreversible, scarring, heartbreaking motion, and all of it gone, leaving only enticing pains that never added up to the one thing he wished they would. His fists squeezed harder, eyes shut tight as he willed himself not to cry. It was just a stupid mechanical piece of scrap, and yet—

He felt fur slip around his waist, and for a moment his worlds blurred. It felt so real. Kakarot's fake tail gently pulled him closer until his head was tucked against the other Saiyan’s chest. With the comfort, his tears stopped threatening to come out, even though his eyes were still shining.

“I’m sorry, Vegeta. I didn’t mean to upset you, really,” Goku explained earnestly. “I asked Bulma to make it for me because I thought it might make you think of home. In a good way,” he clarified softly.

A few tense, silent beats passed as Vegeta digested this information. “I can take it off if you—”

“No.” Vegeta pushed himself up a little, now that he felt certain he’d collected himself enough. He glanced up at his boyfriend, lip twitching as if he was having trouble forming the words. “Thank… you.”

Goku grinned like a kid in a candy shop. He grabbed Vegeta’s face and kissed him, kissed him, kissed him and with his tail still wrapped securely around his waist, Vegeta could feel the tip of it wagging. Vegeta protested half-heartedly, shouts and grumbles leaving him as a palm rested against Kakarot’s chest with pseudo-force to keep him away, making the Saiyan chase him in order to plant his lips.

If Kakarot hadn’t known him well enough already, Vegeta felt the odd yet familiar sensation of something that would have been an undeniable giveaway of his happiness if it actually existed.

He could feel his ghost tail, also wagging, so real he’d almost forgotten it wasn’t truly there. So real he could almost hear it thumping against the ground, kicking up dust.

And this time?

It didn’t hurt.


End file.
